The invention relates to a coupling device for coupling a terminal, such as, for example, a videotelephone, to generating means for generating, at least, a first signal coded in a first manner and a second signal coded in a second manner. The coupling device is provided with
first means for detecting at least one code word contained in a signal originating from the terminal, and PA1 second means, coupled to the first means, for generating a control signal in response to at least a detected code word. PA1 a first in/output for coupling to the terminal, PA1 a second in/output for coupling to an in/output of the second means, PA1 an input for coupling to an output of the change-over means, PA1 a further input for coupling to a further output of the further change-over means, PA1 a control output for coupling to a control input of the change-over means, and PA1 a further control output for coupling to a further control input of the further change-over means, PA1 a first input for receiving the first signal coded in a first manner, and PA1 a second input for receiving the second signal coded in a second manner, PA1 a first further input for receiving the first further signal coded in a first manner, and PA1 a second further input for receiving the second further signal coded in a second manner. PA1 first means for detecting at least one code word contained in a signal originating from a terminal, PA1 second means, coupled to the first means, for generating a control signal in response to at least a detected code word, PA1 change-over means coupled to the first means and to the second means, for receiving, at least, both the first signal coded in a first manner and the second signal coded in a second manner and for feeding, in response to at least a control signal, at least a coded signal originating from the generating means to the first means via the change-over means. PA1 at least two terminal in/outputs, each for coupling to a terminal, and PA1 at least two coupling device in/outputs, each for coupling to a coupling device. PA1 the terminal transmitting to the coupling device a signal which comprises at least one code word, PA1 the coupling device receiving the signal which comprises at least one code word, PA1 the coupling device detecting the code word and, in response thereto, generating a control signal, PA1 the generating means transmitting, to the coupling device, both the first signal coded in a first manner and the second signal coded in a second manner, and PA1 one of the coded signals received by the coupling device being fed, in response to the control signal, to the terminal. PA1 further generating means transmitting a further signal to the coupling device, and PA1 the further signal received by the coupling device being fed to the terminal. PA1 further generating means transmitting, to the coupling device, both a first further signal coded in a first manner and a second further signal coded in a second manner, and PA1 one of the coded further signals received by the coupling device being fed, in response to the control signal, to the terminal. PA1 the first terminal transmitting to the first coupling device a signal which comprises at least one first code word, PA1 the first coupling device receiving the signal which comprises at least one first code word, PA1 the first coupling device detecting the first code word and, in response thereto, generating a first control signal, PA1 the generating means transmitting, to the first coupling device, both the first signal coded in a first manner and the second signal coded in a second manner, PA1 the first signal coded in a first manner being fed, in response to the first control signal, to the first terminal, PA1 the second terminal transmitting to the second coupling device a signal which comprises at least one second code word, PA1 the second coupling device receiving the signal which comprises at least one second code word, PA1 the second coupling device detecting the second code word and, in response thereto, generating a second control signal, PA1 the generating means transmitting, to the second coupling device, both the first signal coded in a first manner and the second signal coded in a second manner, and PA1 the second signal coded in a second manner being fed, in response to the second control signal, to the second terminal. PA1 further generating means transmitting a further signal to the first coupling device, and PA1 the further signal received by the first coupling device being fed to the first terminal, PA1 the further generating means transmitting the further signal to the second coupling device, and PA1 the further signal received by the second coupling device being fed to the second terminal. PA1 further generating means transmitting, to the first coupling device, both a first further signal coded in a first manner and a second further signal coded in a second manner, PA1 the first further signal coded in a first manner received by the first coupling device being fed, in response to the first control signal, to the first terminal, PA1 the further generating means transmitting, to the second coupling device, both the first further signal coded in a first manner and the second further signal coded in a second manner, and PA1 the second further signal coded in a second manner received by the second coupling device being fed, in response to the second control signal, to the second terminal.
Such a coupling device is generally known and relates, for example, to a section of a further videotelephone, in which case the generating means are formed by another section of said further videotelephone. The section of said further videotelephone, which forms the coupling device, comprises a so-called H-221 unit (the first means) which (in one direction) detects at least one code word contained in a signal originating from the terminal, and comprises a so-called H-242 unit (the second means) which, in response to the detected code word originating from the H-221 unit and fed to the H-242 unit, generates a control signal. The other section of said further videotelephone, which forms the generating means, comprises a so-called H-261 unit and a video signal source, such as, for example, a camera. The H-261 unit codes a video signal, which originates from the video signal source, in a specific manner as a function of the control signal originating from the H-242 unit and therefore generates at least either a first video signal coded in a first manner or a second video signal coded in a second manner, after which the video signal which has been coded in a manner appropriate for the terminal is fed to the H-221 unit which (in the other direction) inserts at least one further code word into said coded video signal originating from the generating means and intended for the terminal.
This known coupling device has the drawback, inter alia, that it has been especially designed for a one-to-one communication, in other words that the only option it provides as a component of a videotelephone is that of communication with one other videotelephone.